Led by general manager Dan Fitzgerald (’08) and head coach Wesley Matthews (’09), the Golden Eagles, a team comprised of former Marquette basketball players, will compete for the second year in a row in The Basketball Tournament for the $2 million prize. MU head coach Steve Wojciechowski and staff will welcome the squad back to campus in the week leading up to its first game for a training camp at the Al McGuire Center.

The Golden Eagles have earned the Midwest Region’s No. 1 seed and will face Midwest Dream Squad in the first round on July 15 in Peoria, Illinois.

Should the Golden Eagles advance, they could face eighth-seeded Majerus SLU Crew in the second round, a team of Saint Louis alumni playing in honor of former Marquette graduate and head coach Rick Majerus.

The Super 16 takes place July 20–23 in New York (ESPN/ESPN2) and the championship game is slated for Aug. 3 in Baltimore and will be televised by ESPN.

Dunker and Marotta represent MU at BIG EAST SAAC meeting

Marquette SAAC President Madison Dunker of the women’s soccer team and Cam Marotta of men’s basketball traveled to Washington, D.C., for the first BIG EAST Conference Mental Health Summit at Georgetown University on June 15-16. The committee has untaken an initiative to build awareness of mental health and help end the stigma surrounding it.

The BIG EAST is teaming up with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to raise funds to fight against mental illness. Donate today to SAAC’s GoFundMe page and FOX Sports will match what the BIG EAST raises up to $2,000.

Track and field national championships upcoming

A current student-athlete and a pair of alumni will compete in the coming weeks at a pair of national championship meets. Rising sophomore Max McClelland will compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the USTF Junior National Championships, hosted by Sacramento State on Saturday, June 24, at 7:20 p.m. CT.

John Krzyszkowski (’17) and Sam Kennedy (’15) will both compete at the Canadian Championships hosted in Ottawa, Ontario on July 3-9. Krzyszkowski (javelin) set a personal-best on the way to a bronze finish in 2016, while Kennedy (hammer) took eighth place in last season’s national championship meet held in Edmonton.

Three-time All-BIG EAST First Team forward Maegan Kelly (’13) scored her first career NWSL goal on Saturday for her hometown FC Kansas City as a reserve. Kelly, who was drafted by Kansas City in 2014, spent the last few years in Iceland and Finland before returning stateside. She and 2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Morgan Proffitt (’17), a rookie with the Chicago Red Stars, have represented Marquette on the pitch in the NWSL this season, while Mary Luba (’14) is also on the Red Stars’ roster. Here’s a complete look at the history of MU women’s soccer in the pro ranks and those with national team experience.

Men’s Basketball Centennial Hoopla nears

The culmination of the centennial of Marquette’s men’s basketball is approaching on Friday, June 23 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The event begins with a reception at 5 p.m., followed by dinner and the program, emceed by ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, at 6 p.m. The program will feature various multimedia content as well as panels representing each different era of Marquette basketball.

Those in attendance will receive the final pint glass giveaway from the 2016-17 season as well as a commemorative Marquette Magazine issue celebrating the program’s storied history. Five complete sets of the 12 pint glasses are currently up for auction on GoMarquette.com and can be viewed here.

Register today for the 2017-18 Marquette Kids ClubIndividuals interested in signing up for the Marquette Athletics Kid’s Club can do so today for the 2017-18 season. All members (must be in eighth grade or younger) receive the official Kids Club t-shirt, free admission to all soccer, volleyball, women’s basketball and lacrosse home games as well as a free ticket to select men’s basketball games. Call 414-288-4668, email or visit www.gomarquette.com/kidsclub/ for more information.

Summer camp season underwaySession II summer camp for men’s basketball started Monday as camps for all sports continue over the summer on campus. Check out www.MarquetteSportsCamps.com for registration details and for more information.